Method and device for shifting and turning eggs while being hatched



March 2-4. 1925. 1,531,142

- w. SCHWALGE METHOD ANDDEVICE FOR SHIFTING AND TURNING EGGS WHILE BEING HATCHED' Filed Jan. 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l II'IWASEZIabq March 24. 1925.

W. SCHWALGE METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SHIFTING AND TURNING EGGS WHILE BEING HATCHED Filed 'Jan. 15. 1924" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 To all whmit wwy Patented Mar. 24,1925.

UNITED STATES .1 scinweteiitor is aisvts's, intnsrois;

mam: glen-omen ion Annrmmmo noes wninn Blame HATGHED.

1 mm. nee hinary lfi', 19% Serial mi eaeaoa.

Be it k-nown;that I,;WILLmx a citizenof, the United States-,1 residinga Elmhurst,in the county of DugPageand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and" useful Improvements in; Methods and Devices for Shifiing'end Tiltfliiig- Eggs While Being Hatched; and? I do hereby declare thefollowing to. be a full, clean, vand exact description or the invention, 1 such as will enable otholsskilledyin it to which 7 heat units to cause the 'properand natural development of the'eggs and maximum perit gplpertainstomaheand the: same.) isii vention relates to incubators and more particularly to improve means, to fa-v cilitate theturning of the eggs during inchbation and for shiitingor changing the positions of the eggs relative tothie egg eham-- her and"; tray upon which the eggs are supported the hatching percents paired; Shifiifl oft e eggs to 'difierent the period of incubation, thereby subjecting all oithe: eggs towthe *temp'eiaturesduting such period and insuring a more uniform" and better hatch.

In artificial incubation, eggs m'ust be, turned by hand er by mechanical" means. As tuning by 'hand is'a slow process, me-

' chanioal devices have-been sdopted and 1esorted to toiaci-litate turnihgandf mpemnit theturning. operation to be'csrried onmor'e quickly, but it not all: of Shah devices previously provided for this punpose, aim ply tum-the eggs without-shifting to difie'rent positions orereae Within theregg chamber and therefore the eggsin difieieiit rts of thecha mber'were subjeted to difiii rent' temperatures," with result that wssgrea'tly imp s in th e g Chm! 1 vs PPQrties tray, is necessary" and ssential to deceive hatchingresults, since every incubetor has I cooled areas orsp'ots and if the eggsremai n in such c001 areas, the will not receive the proper heat units nor develop' nonnally,

with the result-that nianyioff the chicksdie in the shellg: while otherfeggs may be sub sponding disadvsntagee. i w

effective hatching-.

a A further obje t of the inventionjg is' to provide a novel ftany a p ed.

1 he in Figure 1.

eoted' te 'excessi ve heat units with "eon-e I responding whichlthe eggs are placed,and a lifting box or scoop adapted, to be pushed over-the centage of hatch; I A A still further object of the invention is to so construct the tray as to insure maximum "eggs capacity and to hold the eggs closer together during the period of'incubation, after testing, within safe limits, to permit thenatural turning of the eggs: due to their development during incubatioinwhile the tray is so constructed to facilitate: the lifting and depositing of the frames of eggs and turning of the eggs as an entirety in each frame, in addition to equalizing the heat thro-u hunt the area of the egg chambe'r and counteracting the tendency to form cool spots or areas, and particularly at the front an'diback of the machine.

Otherand further objects will be apparent from the drawings as the description proceeds. In the accompanying drawings? 1 Figure his. a plan view, partly broken away, showing improved device for turning and shifting eggs.

Figure 2 isa longitudinal sectional View thereof, taken on the section line 22 of .Figure' 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmental-y sectional elevation showing a portion of one ofthe egg frames.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the section line 44 of Figure 1.

t Figure 5 is a the egg frames.

7 Figure 6 is a perspective view of a lifting box or scoop, adapted for changing the positionsoftthe frames and theeggs therein,

* in the tray, one corner thereof being broken away and section, and I Figure 7' is an enlarged fragmentary ectional fvi ew at one sidefio-fthe tray, and corto the structure shown at one side qf Figure 4;. i the driawings d etaiL, in-

perspective view of one of which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 10 designates generally, a tray which consists of a rectangular frame 11,.preferably of wood, with the sides and ends arranged on edge and suitably connectedat the corners, as by mortise and tenon joints or otherwise. This frame is adapted to be accommodated in the egg chamber of the incuconnected thereto, so that the side rails and cross strips subtantially form a unit separate from. the frame 11 in which it is secured. The cross strips are spaced apart in parallel relation and from the endsof the frame 11., but an end strip 15 is provided at one end of the frame, preferably the front, and is secured to the inner face there of slightly below its top edge to form a seat with a surrounding ledge or shoulder. Mounted upon the bottom of the tray and secured to the cross strips and side rails thereof is a wire mesh bottom 16 which terminates at the inner end of the inclined portion at the back of the tray and extends partly over the inelinedportion at the front of the tray and terminates at the adjacent cross-strip 14, as indicated at 17, thus leaving the bottom of the tray open at the ends. Metal strips or runners 18 are secured along the sides of the bottom 16 over the side rails 12 to facilitate the transfer of the frames and eggs as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. A wide sheet metal bottom portion 19 is provided at the backend of the tray between the adjacentend of the wire mesh bottom 16 and the end of the frame, over the opening. This bottom per-- tion 19 is supported upon the cross strips, side rails and the adjacent end of the frame 11, being bent over and secured to the latter as indicated at 20, in the preferred construction. 1 7

At theopposite or front end of the tray, over the narrow open portion thereof, a sheet metal strip or bottom ,portion 21 isprovided, the same resting upon the adjacent cross strip 14in abutting'relation to the adjacent end of the bottom 16 and the 'shoulders at the sides and end of the frame.

'This strip 21 rests upon the end strip 15' and theside rails 12, and has its ends 'inserted betweenthe strips 18 and the side rails. Owing to the flexibility of the sheet metal of which the strip 21 is formed. it; maybe flexed andthe-ends insertedrin the incubator at hatching time, usually on the 18th day.

In order to support the eggs upon the tray and permit the same to be shifted, that is transposed in their positions relative to the tray and thus the egg chamber, as

well as turned '01 inverted, a. series or plurality offrames 22, preferably fourin numher as shown, are provided. These frames are preferably, but not necessarily of metal, and each consists of cross strips 23 with the edges thereof reenforced asat 24, by folding or rolling the same, to provide a stiffening and strengthening means, and end strips 25 also folded or rolled, centrally as indicated at 26. The ends or trips 25 are wider than the sides or cross strips 23, and have their ends out or tapered as at 27 for connection to the ends 'ofthe strips 28, being inserted in the ends thereof, through the medium of the grooves formed by the folded edges or portions 24, after being bent at right angles, as indicated at 28, and then soldered or otherwise suitably secured to form a rigid oblong frame.

The frames 22 are arranged upon the tray 10 as shown more particularly in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, two of the frames being disposed upon the central horizontal portlo'n and the other two being disposed upon the inclined end portions. This arrangement overcomes the disadvantages of flat egg trays, which allow the eggs to lie loose in isolated groups, and causes them after testing, to lie close together, the construction being such thatthe trays slope or curve-upwardly at the ends or front and back and slope to one side and hold the eggs close together the sameas in a nest, and thus insure more even heating. In addition, this I arrangement facilitates the changing of the positions of the eggs in the respectivetrays and the transposing of the same with respect to the trays, through the medium of a lifting box or scoop 29, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6 of the drawings, thetapered ends'of the frames v22 disposing the strips 24 in spaced relation to the bottom of the tray and facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the scoop with respect'thereto. The scoop 29 is in the form of a box'closed on all sides except the front edge as indicated at 30, being fiat and handle 32*at the closed back edge of the scoop or a metal receptacle forming the same,

so as'to facilitate slipping the scoop over a frame of eggs in the manner shown in the same. suitable material, is provided in the scoop Figures 1 and 20f the drawings, or removing A. lining of asbestos or other as indicated at 33 and is attached tothe top and bottom and the back thereof but not to the ends which are formed separate and secured by soldering or otherwise, in the preferred construction, thus protecting the eggs frombreakage as well as chilling there "of by contact with the cold metal of the scoop. It will be noted that the ends engage the strips 18 and facilitate transposing and slid-ing the frames on the tray, as

well as to protect; the wire mesh from wear. In accordance with I my improved j. method and device forturning and shifting eggs 'd uring lncubation, four or more frames are placed on the egg tray andtheeggs in these framea each frame accommodating 42 to 48 eggs accordingto the size, all parts being of metal andv unbreakable.

To turn the eggs, as well as to change the positions of the frames with the eggs therein, in respect to the tray and egg'chambenthe tray is first removed froinithe egg chamber of the" incubator and thenthe lifting box or scoop is pushed over the frame atthe hazel:

and removed with the eggs. This is facilitated by reason of the widesheet metal bottom "portion 19; which is disposed at the back of'the tray and permits the scoop to slide easily and smoothly under the eggs and frame, which it could not do on the wire mesh bottom. This is the end of the tray from which the frame of eggs is removed and then thethree remaining frames of eggs are pushed back to make room in the front for the frame of eggs removed from theback. The lifting box or scoop is theninverted, thus turning the eggs in the frame held thereby and then placed in the front of the tray. The scoop is then pulled forwardly leaving the frame and eggs upon the tray at the front, the eggs being thus shiftedto different positions of the egg chamber or tray, as well as turned and cooled as required for maximum hatch ing efficiency. During this time the incubator door. is left open to air and cool the egg chamber in the same manner as practiced by the hen leaving the nest and all of a the advantages thereof, including the hard ening of the shell and the contraction and expansion thereof, which forces the air into the egg and results in chicks which are more hardy. i

In changing the positions of the frames of eggs, the handle 32' and the cutouts 31 facilitate the pushing of the scoop over the frame and eggs and. the discharge or removal thereof, each being'grasped by one back where the wide strip of metal counteracts the cooling tendency which is not ex istent atthe center.

At the front, the sheet metal strip 21 facilitates depositing of the frame of eggs on: to the tray and counteracts the tendency to be cooler at the front, though not so cool at the back. This is partly facilitated by thesloping ai-i'alwement, and by having the strip 21 removable, it may be taken out on the 18th day to permit the chicks to drop down into the nursery. In addition, the sloping or curved formation of the tray not only, facilitates transposing of the eggs, to

different positions, butenables the operator to take up the eggs and frame more smooth- 1y, increases the heat, facilitates the working or sliding of-the scoop in conjunction with the sheetmetal bottom pieces and holds the eggs closer together after testing, to facilitate hatching, and furthermore, equalizes the heat at the front and back of the machine.

By disposing the eggs in different positions. hatching is facilitated, as every incubator has cool spots andif the eggs remain in these cool spots orareas,'they will not re ceive the proper heat units nor develop normally. resulting in the chicks dying in p the shell: While I have shown described four frames, it is to be understood that any number may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that all the eggs may be turned and shifted to different positions, as well as cooled, the eggs being shifted from front to back and each frame turned; The latter is accomplished by inverting the frames of egg after removal from the back and before depositing the same at the front, while the former is accomplished by pushing the front frames to the back, during which time the eggs are turned by engagement with the wire mesh bottom. I reserve the right to make such other changes as will not depart from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It will also be apparent that if desired, the eggs may at any time be shifted from side to side of the tray and incubator chamber, in addition to being turned and shifted from front to back as heretofore described. This is done by simply scooping up or lifting a frame with the eggs therein, either at the back or at the front of the tray the same,

as in the act of inverting the frames of eggs after removal from the back. By this means,

the eggs may be disposed at both sides of the tray and egg chamber at different times While being hatched.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. An improved method of egg incubation consisting in disposing eggs to be hatched in a plurality of bottomless frames upon a tray for insertion and removal from an egg chamber of an incubator, and shifting the frames of eggs from the back to the front of the tray and chamber, and to other positions relative thereto, thereby turning the eggs.

2. An incubator tray including a frame having a flat central portion and upwardly sloping ends forming the bottom thereof, said bottom being of Wire mesh with solid 7 imperforate end portions.

3. In an incubator, a tray havinga frame and a bottom, the central area of the bottom perforated, and the end areas of the bottom having a smooth :imperforate surface.

4. In an incubator, an egg tray comprising a frame having side rails and cross strips, the end portions of the side rails slop-- ing upwardly, a reticulated bottom thereon extending over the central portion of the tray and partly over a sloping portion produced by the side rails, and imperforate sheets on the other sloping portions, at least one of said sheets being removable to provide an opening in the bottom of the tray.

5. An incubator tray including a frame having a central flat portion and upwardly sloping end portions, the central portion and the adjacent part of one end portion 6. An improved device for shifting and turning eggs during incubation, including a tray having a bottom and side rails, and

a series of bottomless egg frames arranged.

upon the tray and supported by theside rails.

7. In combination, a tray comprising a frame with side rails and cross strips, a foraminous bottom on the frame, and bottomless egg frames slidably arranged upon the side rails.

8. In combination, a rectangular tray with side rails and a bottom having upwardly sloping ends, egg frames supported upon the tray and engaging the side rails, said frames having tapered portions and a scoop adapted to engage and receive the frames for changing the relative positions thereof on the tray. I

9. In combination, a tray having side rails with runners, a Wire mesh bottom, upwardly sloping ends of imperforate sheet material between the bottom and ends of the tray, one of which is removable, and egg frames having reinforced edges slidably supported on the, side rails and removable therefrom, said frames having tapered ends adapted to permit the same to be scooped up and transposed and slid to different positions on the tray.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM SGHWALGE. 

